Re: [compost_tea] Gallons/Acre/Price

From: David Loring <dloring3_at_cox.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 07:43:38 -0700

Way to go Kevin, thanks for the info and inspiration.

Dave Sotillo 50
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: kevin john richardon
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 4:57 AM
  Subject: [compost_tea] Gallons/Acre/Price


  How does the cost of this [probiotic] product compare to compost tea? I=
f you
  were to cover say 10 acres with ACT it would cost from $ 450 plus of
  miinus about $250.

  Bob, how many gallons undiluted ACT per acre goes on at that price?
  Dennis

  YO!

  Local Solutions has a well recieved price schedule in Anchorage, Alaska f=
or residential and commercial clientel. The rates are by SQFT. It is not =
a linear thing because, as is the case with many industries, costs decrease=
 with an increase in volume. An attachment with a published, yet subject to=
 change, price schedule is enclosed.

  The part that tells you a full season includes three applications got cut=
 off.

  For these prices, the rate of application is fifty gallons of Alaska Humu=
s Tea and five or ten gallons of Organic Gem Fish per Acre.

  In the process of developing a price schedule for agricultural applicatio=
ns. Application rates will vary, but will hover around five to fifteen gal=
lons tea and five to ten gallons fish, depending on situation. This applic=
ation rate is primarily due to budget considerations of ag. Ray Gore helped=
 clue me in on how to approach big ag from a economic standpoint. Golf coar=
ses are in the same category.

  I am guessing that the high end will fall somewhere between $100 and $300=
 per Acre. I am wanting it to be as low as possible of coarse because of t=
he budget per acre issues Ray Gore explained to me, yet we all understand e=
conomics, "the great equalizer", if you're too low and give it away you won=
't be around doing it later for anyone to enjoy!, if you're too high, ditto=
. The economics, marketing and logistics of running a business are an inte=
resting, steep learning curve (I thought I could just do the science!). Ma=
ny variables, a lot to keep sorted out at once! Fun.

  The clientel base for the business is building steadily. I am comfortabl=
e with the pace and rate of growth this year. Much more may have seemed be=
tter, yet this season has allowed a relatively relaxed look at our operatio=
n. Many unknowns have been worked out and nobody got hurt. Our investment=
s in research and development were efficient. Wise use of limited capitol.=
  I think if business boomed I may not have been capable of providing a sat=
isfactory service. I feel like we now know much about how we do what we ar=
e doing. Our reputation is clean. Everday seems to bring more positive de=
velopments for the business. Indications are that this has a viable future=
. We are blessed with good fortune; we must be doing "The Good Work".

  We are delivering tea to a small nine hole, par three golf coarse who are=
 thrilled with the results, "Believers!"; a neat story really, I had to do =
a midnite mission on the place mid summer to keep them on the program (they=
 were under the impression that they could use the tea and completely stop =
fertilizing; did I say that?; they "weren't sure the tea was working"), two=
 weeks afterward they called me and told me I HAD TO get over there and see=
 the place. The greens are incredible, a miraculous improvement over what =
they had been. We did a total of about one Acre this year, all the greens.=
  Next year we're doing the whole twenty acres.

  We just did three acres of ballfield for the Muni; they are impressed and=
 "will be using a lot of it next year". We're going to a neighboring town n=
ext week to do four acres of community playing fields.

  Sports clubs are calling, the school district is giving us a football fie=
ld, the Hospital wants to talk over the winter along with the University. =
The Rail Road is interested. Muni Horticulturalist is devising and setting=
 up for trials in the spring.

  We brought in a prestigious golf coarse yesterday for some fall trials wi=
th expansion planned for the spring. Today another golf coarse decided it =
is going to do the same. Four more to go in the area.

  Networking at the farmers market yesterday proved fullfilling as a gentle=
man with boytridus in his green house invited me over next week. He's also=
 got fifteen acres of ag and is expanding.

  Tomorrow...?

  The trailer we put together is super sweet and doing impressive work. Pi=
cs? Havent got digitized, yet. But I know how to build one! Actually thi=
nk I might be building several. Even got blueprints on the back of a napki=
n. The trailer can be brewing enroute to a delivery; apply via hose, boom =
or pump into irrigation lines, other spray rigs... It can push and pull a =
30+ gallon volume per minute. Passes 3/16 inch solids. Can run dry, easy =
on the microbiology. Air driven,low mainteance, dual diaphram pump, many a=
dvantages (pump research is cool). Dual 500 gallon horizontal leg tanks wi=
th a 65 gallon fresh water wash tank. Super clean. Nice layout. Working =
with Bob Norsens brewing system makes the operation extremely versatile (th=
e next model has some cool bells and whistles; Storage for brewing and othe=
r materials so a brew can be begun immediately after application and the ri=
g can remain mobile; no brick and mortar.). We're putt'n out some stuff! =
And people are impressed.

  My folks reported two days after application a geranium who hadn't bloome=
d in years, had over a dozen buds! Two weeks later, their small. unproduct=
ive garden (its been a wet, tuff year) was showing marked improvement, grow=
ing much faster and more substantially and producing friut. They are stoke=
d.

  Residential customers are thrilled. Everyones turf is thick, full and be=
autiful, healthy. No more patches or clumps. Dead spots vanished.

  At my place, rock was dumped in the front yard for a fire place five year=
s ago. The compaction left a twenty foot diameter of turf unable to recove=
r. It is no longer distinguishable from the surrounding area. The grass i=
s so full and consistent. No more empty spots. Great color. The yard is =
unneffected by moose droppings and urination. The owners tried to be skept=
ics, and they are now amazed. They have been told "it looks like a golf co=
urse". We have awesome games of bocci ball on Sunday evenings.

  One woman "blesses my heart" and "thanks God". She is a widow and very m=
oved. She says her gardens are more beautiful than ever and she has hardly=
 done any work. She used to spend hours a day for less result. Hysynthias=
 who had not previously bloomed are big and beautiful with flowers and gras=
s is growing where it would not before. I hope the neighbors are watching!=
 

  Another customer has been frustrated for three years with areas of her la=
wn which were burnt by a chemical fertilizer company when their equipment m=
alfunctioned and put down too much (not a problem with TEA!) One applicati=
on has completely mitigated the problem. Bioremediation. Lush and green, =
right up to the hot driveway which used to dry out th grass next to it. Th=
eir neighbor (who has all the neighborhood kids watering his lawn) is watch=
ing, four more acres of lawn next spring. We're gonna cut their water bill=
 in half!

  So this is Local Solutions, September 11, 2003. I hope what I've written=
 is enjoyable and informative. I look forward to hearing about your succes=
ses and how you do it. I really hope I can participate with many of you in=
 collaborative efforts in the future. It sure is a good time. I welcome a=
n opportunity to discuss further with you. Please contact me if you are in=
terested, or for support. Let's make it happen!

  Stay cool with one another,
  Kevin

  ps attachment!?!

  Kevin John Richardson
  Local Solutions
  19025 Villages Scenic Pkwy
  Anchorage, AK 99516
  (907) 522 0679 Land
  auto forwards to :
  (907) 317 8455 Cell
  kmagic_at_backpacker.com



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Received on Fri Sep 12 2003 - 10:58:00 EDT

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